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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28167864">undoubtedly assure you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjmasim/pseuds/cjmasim'>cjmasim</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Holidays, Love Confessions, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:13:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,947</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28167864</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjmasim/pseuds/cjmasim</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>During the winter holidays of their seventh year, Sirius and Remus start to spend more time alone together.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sirius Black/Remus Lupin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The Wolfstar Secret Snowflake Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>undoubtedly assure you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaybaker/gifts">jaybaker</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for jaybaker as part of the Wolfstar Secret Snowflake Exchange! This was a lot of fun to write and I hope you enjoy it &lt;3 </p>
<p>The title comes from Undoubtedly by Heart Attack Man.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You know, it’s not too late to change your mind,” Sirius says, looking down at the floor where Peter is struggling to close his trunk. </p>
<p>“He’s right,” James says. “You sure you want to leave Padfoot and Moony all alone for the fifteen dates I plan to go on with Lily?”</p>
<p>Peter laughs. “I think they’ll find a way to occupy themselves,” he says. If he were more perceptive, Sirius might be worried that he’s figured out his little secret. “Besides, I already told my mum I’d come home this year to help around the house.”</p>
<p>“A valiant cause,” Remus adds, then turns to face Sirius. “Really, you two are such a bad influence.”</p>
<p>They all laugh; while it’s probably true that Peter wouldn’t be much of a troublemaker had he never met James and Sirius, none of them are bothered by that. Sirius knows Peter’s not. </p>
<p>“It won’t be long before you’re back,” he says. “Say hello to your mum for us.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Peter says, finally managing to get his trunk closed. Sirius isn’t sure why he’s having any trouble packing just for a few weeks away, but he doesn’t ask. </p>
<p>Really, James had made a fair point in suggesting that Sirius is about to get a lot of alone time with Remus. Lily’s staying behind for the holidays, too, and while James is careful not to let his alone time with her override his time spent with his friends, Sirius knows that they intend to take full advantage of the emptier castle. If he were in James’ position, he’d certainly do the same. </p>
<p>Hogsmeade weekends in seventh year have been like that, too – James and Lily going off on their own while Sirius, Remus, and Peter hang out in the Three Broomsticks and go shopping like usual. The key difference between those weekends and the holiday break, of course, is that Peter isn’t going to be there.</p>
<p>This is fine, or at least, it should be fine. It certainly would be fine if Sirius could just be normal and not have a crush on his best friend, but of course, he <i>does</i> get butterflies every time Remus looks at him too long and he <i>does</i> want nothing more than to conjure up some mistletoe above the entrance to their dorm just so he has the perfect excuse to snog him.</p>
<p>Spending so much time alone with him over break is going to be perfectly fine. Nothing to worry about here.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>The next night, James is predictably off somewhere with Lily. The four of them had spent part of the afternoon working on their Charms essay, but Lily had insisted that they can’t just spend the whole first day of break doing schoolwork. There will be plenty of time over the next few weeks to get it done, after all, and they’re meant to be enjoying themselves. Remus, of course, had insisted that it wouldn’t hurt to revise for N.E.W.T.s in between the schoolwork, but Sirius thinks they should enjoy their last short while of not feeling that immense pressure.</p>
<p>They’d ended up spending half an hour revising before dinner, after which they’d broken into groups, and that is how Sirius finds himself alone in the common room with Remus. At the moment, they aren’t talking; Remus is reading a book while Sirius sketches idly in the margins of his Potions textbook. Sirius can’t quite manage to keep his eyes off of Remus, though. It’s just so <i>easy</i> to watch him now that they’re alone. Sirius could probably count on one hand the number of times he and Remus have been alone over the past year, and they’ve certainly never had the common room to themselves. The sight of Remus curled up in an armchair by the fire with an oversized sweater and his full attention on a book is not rare in itself, but the lack of background action is a novelty that Sirius almost wishes he could keep forever. </p>
<p>“Are you drawing me?” Remus asks, breaking Sirius out of his thoughts. </p>
<p>“I – what? No,” he says, feeling his cheeks heat up. It’s not a lie; while Sirius had gotten too distracted to finish any of his drawings, they had just been quick sketches of the fireplace. Remus has always loved that fireplace, especially after the full moons, and perhaps Sirius has come to associate it with him, but that’s not the same as drawing Remus himself.</p>
<p>“I was just wondering,” Remus says, far more casual than Sirius thinks he’s capable of at the moment. He’s good at regulating his emotions, sure, but Remus has the tendency to make all his carefully-crafted control crumble away. “You’d been staring at me for a good moment, so I thought you might be studying your reference material.”</p>
<p>Sirius forces a laugh, sounding close enough to natural that he doesn’t think Remus notices. “I was just lost in thought,” he says truthfully. “Though if you’d like me to draw you, I’d be honored.”</p>
<p>Remus’ eyes widen slightly at the suggestion. “Shouldn’t it be the other way around? You offer to draw me, therefore I’m the one who’s honored?”</p>
<p>Sirius shrugs. “Maybe, I suppose. I’ll do it, though.”</p>
<p>“I’d love that,” Remus laughs. “Just be sure to show me when you’re done. I might have to ask you to autograph it.”</p>
<p>Sirius grins. “Anything for you, Moony.” Though his tone is joking, he knows that he’s entirely sincere. </p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Sirius draws Remus in his most natural form, curled up by the fire with a cozy sweater and a good book, and Remus immediately sticks the picture to the wall by his bed. At first, Sirius thinks nothing of it. It’s a pretty good drawing, for one done entirely with a basic quill, and it had felt like a rather special moment. </p>
<p>It’s James who knocks some sense into him. </p>
<p>“You <i>drew a bloody picture of him</i> and he <i>taped it to his wall</i>?” He shrieks. Sirius shushes him despite knowing full well that no one else is in their dorm, Remus having gone ahead to breakfast. “Sirius, not for nothing, but if you drew a picture of me I wouldn’t tape it above my bloody bed. I’m telling you, Remus <i>likes you</i>.”</p>
<p>Sirius isn’t sure how to respond to that, but James doesn’t give him much time.</p>
<p>“Now look, mate, I know you fancy him. You didn’t even have to tell me-“</p>
<p>“Oh, come on, Prongs, there’s no way I-“</p>
<p>“You’re far too obvious to play dumb, mate,” James laughs. “It’s okay! I think it’s beautiful! You know, two of the brightest minds of our generation, the black sheep and the not-so-lone wolf, the bookworm and the… some sort of bird? Well, anyway, the point is that you two are perfect for each other. And nothing’s going to come of it if you don’t make a move.”</p>
<p>“What?” Sirius’ voice cracks. </p>
<p>“I’m not kidding,” James says. “Remus isn’t going to make a move. He thinks he’s unlovable or whatever; you’ve heard him. Always ‘no one would want to date a werewolf’ this and ‘I’ll be alone forever’ that. It’s a load of shit, but he’s not going to believe that if I just go up and tell him, so you’ve got to do it.”</p>
<p>“Why me?”</p>
<p>“Because he likes you, why else?”</p>
<p>Sirius laughs. “Come on, mate.”</p>
<p>James sighs. “Once again. You drew a picture of him and he <i>stuck it above his bed</i>. Remus Lupin, the very same insecure no-one-will-ever-love-me bloody idiot we know and love. Do you really think he’d stick a picture I drew of him above his bed? Or Peter?”</p>
<p>“Well, no, but you’re both terrible artists,” Sirius says, grinning as James groans in frustration. “I know, I know. Not your point.”</p>
<p>“It’s so far from the point you may as well be across the ocean,” James grumbles. “The <i>point</i> is that he’s not the type to just stick pictures of himself around his space. He put it there because it means something to him. You know, it won’t hurt to tell him your feelings. There’s no doubt that he likes you.”</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Sirius never agrees to tell Remus his feelings. It’s too risky, he thinks – not worth the risk of damaging their friendship, and even if Remus likes him, that doesn’t mean he wants to date him. He’s perfectly content to ride out the rest of the year keeping his feelings hidden, and even the years beyond that if he must, though if he’s being perfectly honest, he’s more resigned than he is content. </p>
<p>Of course, he spends at least an hour completely alone with Remus for each of the next several days, and while he doesn’t ask Remus to model for him again, there’s a certain sort of underlying tension to all of their interactions. It’s not like the times they’ve fought, though – it feels more like Remus is so intensely focused on Sirius’ presence that he can feel the sparks of magic emanating from his gaze. He’s quite sure that that isn’t a thing that can happen, but if anyone were to make it possible, it’d have to be Remus. </p>
<p>“Don’t you think we need to do something grand in our final days here?” Remus is saying, going on about how he thinks they need to plan some sort of grand mischief to end their days at Hogwarts on a high note. </p>
<p>Sirius hums, speaking before his brain gets the chance to catch up with his mouth. “The only thing grand that I want to do right now is to snog you.”</p>
<p>“I – come again?”</p>
<p>Sirius blinks, slowly, realizing that he can’t just take that back or play it off as a joke. “Oh, er, you know… we don’t, er, we don’t have to do – that.” </p>
<p>“You’d like to, though?”</p>
<p>Sirius nods earnestly. “Yes, of course. I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that, but, yes. Yes. I’d love that, actually. And I was hoping you’d feel the same way.”</p>
<p>“That’s not exactly what I had planned for our final days as students here, but I do love the sound of it as a plan for right this minute,” Remus says. “And many more times in the future, probably. Maybe even during our grand exit.”</p>
<p>“I love the sound of that,” Sirius laughs softly. “Mind if I-?”</p>
<p>“Go right ahead,” Remus says. They’re on a couch this time, rather than separate armchairs, so all he has to do is scoot closer to Sirius. He’s close enough that Sirius leans forward and in an instant, he can reach out a hand to place on Remus’ shoulder, not quite sure what else to do with it as Remus leans in. He leans in himself, too, keeping his eyes open and taking care to meet Remus’ lips only when he begins to close his eyes, waiting. Neither of them are particularly skilled at kissing technique, but the feeling of being so close to Remus, sharing such an intimate moment with the one he’s been dreaming about for longer than he’s even known that such a feeling is possible, is enough to make every nerve in his body tingle with pleasure. Kissing Remus is exciting and easy and somehow as familiar as if he’s done it hundreds of times before, and Sirius only breaks it off because he knows they both need to catch their breath. </p>
<p>Remus doesn’t take his eyes off of him, a wide smile plastered on his face as he takes a deep breath. </p>
<p>“We need to do that again,” Sirius says after a short moment of silence. </p>
<p>Remus smiles even wider. “How about right now?”</p>
<p>Sirius laughs. “Sounds perfect.”</p>
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